


The Gift

by AnneScriblerian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark, Ficlet, Multi, Partner Betrayal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-28
Updated: 2013-02-28
Packaged: 2017-12-03 22:25:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnneScriblerian/pseuds/AnneScriblerian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes our gifts are not taken in the way they were intended.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Severus Sighs 2011 Anti-Valentine's Day Fest.  
> I seem to have combined two prompts: “Love philtres, chocolates, perfume ... Yes, for a potion master, there were many ways to exact revenge on Valentine's Day” and “Severus considered his Valentine's gift a work of art. It was a pity he was alone in this.” Celta_Diabolica deserves smooches for putting up with all my Snarry fics. She kindly betas them, despite their abominable lack of Death Eaters (Snape excepted). At least this ficlet was nice and bitter for her.

The package was simply—and elegantly—wrapped. The silver paper glowed softly, tempting touch. The green ribbon was the exact color of Harry’s eyes.

There was no question of who had sent it. 

“Look, mate. I know that you are obsessed with the git. And yes, he did do everything he could to help us win the war… even though we didn’t know it. But he’s still a bastard.”

“I hate to admit it, but I agree with Ron. Snape is brilliant and brave; no one is denying that. But he has suffered so much… he has no compassion left.”

“You’re wrong. You’re both wrong about him. _I_ have suffered…”

“We all have, mate.”

“Of course… I haven’t forgotten about Fred. Gods, I haven’t forgotten about anyone. But our suffering made us _more_ compassionate. Why can’t you allow him the same?”

Ron sputtered at this. Hermione just shook her head. 

Harry pulled the ribbon. There was never a chance that he wouldn’t. 

The package unfolded into a silver cake stand. A small chocolate cake appeared on it. On the cake was written—in Snape’s unmistakable script—“Eat Me.”

"Oi! That's disgusting, that is."

"It's actually kind of sweet. Disturbing, but sweet."

"Um, Hermione? Why is it sweet?"

"Haven't you ever read _Alice in Wonderland_?"

Ron and Harry stared blankly at her.

"Of course you haven't. Right. Alice is a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole and meets fantastic creatures and has strange adventures."

Ron snorted.

"What does the cake have to do with it?"

"Alice eats a cake that says 'Eat Me'..."

Harry ate the cake in one bite.

Hermione winced and continued, "... and then she almost drowns in her own tears."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What did you do to me?”

"If you weren't such a reckless, idiotic _Gryffindor_ , you wouldn't eat things unless you knew what they were."

Harry clenched his fists and his jaw and ground out, "I knew it was a Valentine's Day gift from the man I loved."

"Loved. Of course. Now that you can no longer feel your ridiculous lust, you have no more use for me. It is just as I expected. Nay, it was what I _knew_ would happen. All you love is being fucked. Anyone could do that to you," Severus sneered, "not that you'd enjoy it now."

"I did love you. I still love you, and it makes me want to rip out my heart."

"Why? Because I am nothing more to you than a ready cock, and now you have no use for that?" 

"Gods. I can't believe you, Severus. If you don't understand why I can't stay with you after this, you were never worthy of my love."

When Harry left, Severus took the bottle marked "Drink Me" out of his pocket. And he locked it away in a chest that he kept on his mantel.

On the day that Harry Potter married Ginevra Weasley, he smashed it.


End file.
